1. Experiences with rural electrification in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Siniša Rodić
Project Manager, Energy and Environment
UNDP CO BiH

2. THE PROBLEM
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Many people assume that most of the 1.3 billion people without access to energy
live in Africa and India. Very few would guess that there are thousands of families in
the Balkans that are not connected to the energy grid.
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This is the reality of thousands Bosnian families today.
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More than 1 out of 2.2 million displaced people during the Balkan wars of the 1990s
have returned to their homes and reclaimed their property rights.
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Funding for returns is fast decreasing, leaving about a million people in a difficult
situation and thousands without any access to the power grid (over 3,000 families).
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With resource prices continually rising and their incomes already below the poverty
level, these families are on the very margins of society and development.

3. LOCAL CONTEXT
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They typically live in a small village or hamlet with 1 to 5 families located in an
isolated, rural location. Small scale agricultural production is the main source of
livelihood.
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Their homes were connected to the grid before the war, but the infrastructure is
destroyed with repairs unrealistic as a result of both large scale investments and low
feasibility given the number of scattered families living in isolated locations.
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The right to access to energy is equal to both the returnee families as is for all other
citizens and it is a pre-requisite for sustainable human development.
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Within this context, UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina was seeking for a solution that
will provide a sustainable, cost-effective solution for standalone, off grid renewable
energy supply for returnee families

4. THE PROCESS
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Upon completion of first pilot electrification project with “in-house” RES solution (12
households), UNDP, in partnership with NESTA, released a global Renewable
Energy Challenge for design and development of:
 sustainable, cost-effective solution for a standalone, off-grid renewable energy
supply which can produce:
 minimum 1,25 kWh/day and
 minimum of 120 litres of hot-water
To cover the needs of an average returnee family in rural areas of Bosnia and
Herzegovina.

5. JUDGING CRITERIA
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investment costs
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energy output
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battery capacity
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hot water capacity
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reliability
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average running costs
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maintenance costs
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simplicity of use and replication potential

6. ROAD TO THE WINNER
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37 solutions received
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4 shortlisted - 1st evaluation (UNDP)
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2 shortlisted after 2nd evaluation (completed in cooperation with NESTA panel of
experts)
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1 tested solution – the winner

7. RESULT
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Out of 37, after technical evaluation and field testing a winning solution selected!
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Specification of the system:
Electrical power of the solar panel
Thermal power of solar panel
Inverter power
Max Inverter power
DC battery voltage
AC output voltage
Voltage of the panels
Max current of the panels
Max current of the charger
Efficiency of the inverter
Type of the inverter
Capacity of the batteries
Volume of the boiler
1275 W
1400 W
3000 W
4500 W
48 V
230 V/ 50 Hz
100 – 500 V
13 A
25 A
92%
Pure sine wave
4 x 200 Ah/12 V
120 L

9. NEXT STEPS
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Now, UNDP is in the process of installing of 8 winning solutions in one village in
Bosnia and Herzegovina (the village of Prkosi, Bosanski Petrovac municipality).
 Just for illustration, to rebuild the grid (conventional) for this village the cost is
estimated at approx. 300,000 €. To install Individual Renewable Energy solutions the
cost is 40,000 €.
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Negotiating with all national levels governments for scaling-up across the country.
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Working with local NGOs and other donors for continuation of support with
installations of Renewable Energy solutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

10. Thank you for your attention!
Siniša Rodić
Project Manager, Energy and Environment
UNDP CO BiH
sinisa.rodic@undp.org
+387 65 881 453